SR-301-004-02
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Council Meeting December 10, 1985
Santa Monica, California
TO:
Mayor and city council
FROM:
city Staff
SUBJECT:
status of Various Recommendations of Working Group
on the Homeless
INTRODUCTION
On December, 11, 1984 city council requested the City Manager
convene a Working Group on the Homeless to explore the growing
community problem and pose recommendations for Council action.
Council suggested that the mandate of the Working Group include:
conducting public workshops and hearings
considering the needs of the homeless
proposing City positions on legislative programs in the
areas of mental health, housing, penal law, and other
areas that may be required to assist in this problem
considering measures the city, other government agencies,
and the private and non-profit sectors may take to improve
the lot of the homeless and to reduce the perceived and
actual threat to public safety and business climate posed
by the presence of this problem.
Subsequent to Council direction, the city Manager's Office
convened a 15 person Working Group which included representatives
of key interest groups in the community which are impacted by the
homeless problem including social service providers, local
merchants, and neighborhood groups. The Working Group met twice
a month from January through April, 1985 and conducted numerous
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subcommittee meetings on specific topics. In May, 1985 the Final
Report of the Working Group was presented to Council for
consideration.
Included
in
the
report
were
various
recommendations the status of which are reviewed in this staff
report.
STATUS OF RECOMMENDATIONS
1. "The City of Santa Monica should commence litigation against
the County of Los Angeles for failing to meet the needs of
the mentally disabled..."
The City Council has this recommendation under continuing
consideration in closed session.
2. "Support (fund) social services for the Homeless in Santa
Monica using the following criteria:
a) Minimize negative impact on residential and business
communities.
b) Funded agency should have a "track record" of service to
the homeless in Santa Monica (or near proximity) .
c) Funded agency should have a broad base of support in
Santa Monica including ability to raise funds and
attract volunteers.
d) ci ty needs several small day centers rather than one
large day center...."
The criteria developed by the Working Group have been utilized by
City staff in evaluating proposals for services to the homeless
and have been added to other already existing criteria which are
used to screen services which receive city funding.
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3. liThe following proposals for services to the homeles meet our
criteria and we urge that you support them:
CLARE Foundation - expansion of day feeding progrm and
addition of service center
Turning Point - continuation of comprehensive shelter
program (Ocean Park community center)
Turning Point Day Services
services to the homeless (OPCC)
extension of current
Santa Monica Womens Day Center - to be operated by opec
to serve homeless women and their children
st. Joseph's Center - for continuing program of serving
the homeless
Salvation Army - feeding program downtown
Venice Family Clinic - medical services and outreach to
homeless.,.."
In the 1985-86 community services Program, the following agencies
were funded by the City to provide services to the homeless:
CLARE Sober Inn $ 63,802
Turning Point Shelter (OPCC) 80,324
(with 5 bed expansion for 35 bed total)
Turning Point Advocacy services 111,279
(about 80% for services to
the homeless)
Santa Monica Womens Day Center not funded
(did not have site control)
st. Joseph's Center 50,000
(one time grant to recover from arson fire)
Salvation Army Feeding Program
plus food account with food bank
7,914
10,608
venice Family Clinic
(homeless health care project)
20,000
In addition, the following agencies receive city funding and
serve some homeless people amongst their client mix:
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Wests ide Food Bank
65,207
LIEU-Cap
(serves exclusively low income
people, about 20% homeless)
73,494
4. "Recognizing that the homeless population includes victims of
domestic violence and throw-away youth, it is recommended
that the Council continue to fund programs which address
these two areas (such as Sojourn Shelter for Battered Women
and Stepping Stone Shelter for Youth)"
Both Sojourn and Stepping Stone received city funding for
1985-86. Each agency serves a particular client group which
can include homeless people but is not designed to address
the problem of homelessness.
Sojourn Battered Womens Shelter
t33,041
stepping Stone
64,511
5. "Adopt a resolution requesting the County of Los Angeles to
locate a Day Center for the homeless on the westside"
On behalf of the city Council the Mayor sent a letter to the
County Board of supervisors urging that a day center be
established on the westside.
Councilmembers and City Staff
also worked closely with representatives of Supervisor Dana's
Office in the establishment of the LIEU-Cap shelter for women
and children in Venice.
Screening of clients for that
shelter is handled through the Ocean Park Community Center
and st. Joseph's.
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6. IIAdopt a resolution requesting the County of Los Angeles to
discontinue unreasonable regulations which result in General
Relief terminations including the 60-day penalty which leaves
needy individuals without the most minimal support and
contributes to the homeless problem.1I
On September la, 1985 Council adopted a resolution urging the
County to develop a more humane alternative to the sixty day
penalty for noncompliance with General Relief eligibility
requirements. The resolution was also sent to cities in the
surrounding area for their information and concurrence. No
significant changes have been made in the General Relief 60
day penalty since the resolution was passed, and the issue
continues to be debated countywide. Annually there are an
estimated 24,000 instances of people being on a 60 day
penalty in Los Angeles County.
7. IIInvestigate the possibility of allowing a limited number of
homeless individuals who need to sleep in their vehicles to
park in a parking lot in the Civic Center area near the Santa
Monica Police Department overnight under permits issued by
the Police Department."
After discussion with the Pol ice Department , it has been
suggested that this should be handled on an informal basis
when the need arises. From time to time destitute families
are allowed to sleep in their cars in the lots near City
Hall. Formalizing the arrangement is not recommended by
staff.
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8. "Review the City's policy in relationship to public toilets
with the goal of making more toilet facilities available for
increased hours where appropriate.1I
Beginning six months ago the restrooms in the parking
structures have been left open 24 hours a day. Restrooms in
public park areas are open daily from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm.
9. "City of Santa Monica should prepare a brochure to deal with
the public's concern about the homeless and criminal
behavior...."
Staff is in the process of developing such an informational
brochure.
10, "The Homeless Resource card, printed by the City of Santa
Monica, should be updated and expanded and distributed widely
to businesses, the homeless and the community. The card
should include information on local ordinances."
The Homeless Resource Card has been updated and distributed
throughout the community. staff will be developing one
brochure on relevant city ordinances appropriate for the
homeless and city residents as well rather than providing two
different pamphlets.
11. "City consider acquisition of problem liquor outlets in the
downtown business district which attract alcohol-dependent
individuals to the downtown park and mall areas."
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Acquisi tion of the above-mentioned liquor outlets does not
appear to be feasible at this time. The city Attorney's
Office is exploring other avenues to address this problem.
12. "An outreach team be fully funded on a year's trial basis and
expanded to a second team if deemed necessary after 6 months.
Furthermore, these teams should work co-operatively with the
SMPD and other community staff (e.g. park staff, lifeguards)
who interface regularly with mentally disabled and other
homeless individuals."
The Department of Community and Economic Development has
issued an RFP for services to the homeless, specifically an
outreach team and a day center, for funding from the $104,395
remaining from the Community Development Program for 1985-86.
These proposals are due December 16 and will be rated along
with proposals for services to the frail elderly. Several
agencies have indicated an interest in developing proposals
for outreach workers in response to the RFP.
13. "City allocate $2,000 for a pragmatic study which would
include re-analysis of current data around specific community
issues; review of other areas' homeless literature and
studies; and identification and review of the limited
literature available on the success of policies in other
areas. . . . II
ci ty Staff has not seen the need to commission such an
analysis of available data because of familiarity with
information and programs developed elsewhere. However, the
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city has submitted a request to receive technical assistance
from the National Institute of Mental Health, through the
u.s. Conference of Mayors, regarding handling of the homeless
mentally ill. A recent letter received by the Mayor
indicates that Santa Monica is one of the cities selected.
14. "The Ci ty Council designate an individual wi thin the city
Manager's Office as a homeless co-ordinator to keep abreast
of current opportunities for appropriate action...."
\Yhile no one individual has been designated to work full time
on this issue, there are a number of individual staff members
who are devoting considerable time to tracking the homeless
issue. Staff in the city Attorney's Office, the Recreation
and Parks Department and the Department of Communi ty and
Economic Development continue to co-ordinate their efforts in
staying abreast of developments locally and nationally. In
addi tion the Assistant to the Director of Recreation and
Parks serves on the FEMA Emergency Services Technical
Committee representing the League of California cities. This
committee distributes and monitors grants to agencies
throughout the county which offer services to the homeless.
Lastly, the city Council introduced a resolution at the
recent convention of the League of California Cities
regarding increased services to the homeless mentally ill.
This resolution, together with two others dealing with
services to this population, were passed by the convention.
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15. IIprovide opportunities for community education and dialogue
on the homeless issue in cooperation with local religious
groups, agencies, the business community, service
organizations, and the westside Shelter Coalition. This
could be one task of the homeless co-ordinator."
City staff continues to participate in the westside Shelter
Coali tion and devoted considerable time to organizing the
October conference on homelessness sponsored by the
Coalition. In addition, staff participated in a panel at the
League's San Francisco conference regarding Santa Monica's
efforts in this area.
16. "City should continue funding for the permanent structure
gards, adding extra guards if needed."
Four additional structure guards were added last fiscal year.
There are now a total of 8 structure guards patrolling the
downtown mall, parking structures, and Palisades Park.
17. "City should identify temporary employment opportunities
within City government for homeless individuals seeking work.
In addition, the City should encourage local businesses and
the Chamber of Commerce to provide temporary and permanent
opportunities for employment of the homeless, working through
the local EDD office."
While procedures have been developed within city departments
to hire temporary employees through EDD and to provide them
with same or next-day pay, very few individuals have been so
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hired. City staff will renew efforts in this area and
contact the Chamber to encourage local businesses to do
likewise. Despite the city's limited success in terms of
numbers of people hired, the Advisory committee of the local
EDD office awarded the city an "Employer of the Year" award
for efforts to work co-operatively with them in providing
employment opportunities for homeless people.
18. "City Council should ask the Police Department to investigate
individuals believed to be panhandlers who are engaging in
anti-social or criminal behavior in order to successfully
prosecute them when appropriate.1t
The Police Department has commenced an undercover operation
in Palisades Park which resulted in the arrests of 22 people
on major crimes. Periodic undercover work such as this will
be carried on from time to time.
19. ItThe City Council should communicate with the Federal
government...to express our alarm at the current suggestions
to cut funding for Federal programs that help individuals and
families needing assistance (e.g. FEMA funding, General
Revenue Sharing) .
The Mayor, on behalf of the City Council, has sent letters to
fedral representatives regarding funding of services to the
homeless and low income families.
TRENDS IN SERVICES TO THE HOMELESS
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In preparation for this report, local agencies were informally
surveyed for information on trends in the homeless clients which
they are serving.
The Ocean Park Community Center reports an
increase in the numbers of older (40-50 year old) chronically
mentally ill people who come to the Center seeking help. This
population is too disruptive to house in Turning Point Shelter.
st. Joseph's reports a similar increase in clients with chronic
mental problems as well as in elderly clients (60 years of age
and older).
Of the homeless served by st. Joseph's, 1/3 are
families and 2/3 individuals seeking assistance.
HOMELESS WORKING GROUP
In its Final Report developed for Council, the Working Group
indicated that it stood ready "as concerned citizens of Santa
Monica and as the working Group on the Homeless in our communty
to:
1. Help with the important work of ongoing public education
2. To advise the Council and City staff on homeless issues
3. To hold hearings and trouble-shoot as deemed appropriate
4. To evaluate progress on these recommendations by January,
1986.11
The Working Group has met twice since issuing its final report.
As a result of its meeting in late October, the attached letter
was sent to Councilmember Epstein urging that the group be
officially reconstituted to serve as a community resource on the
homeless issue.
At a second meeting held December 4 at which the city Manager was
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present, the Working Group:
1. rei terated its support for its recommendation to commence
litigation against the County for failure to serve the
chronically mentally disabled;
2. reiterated its interest in having the city take action
regarding problem liquor outlets in the downtown/palisades Park
area;
3. stressed the importance of having a day shelter established
in Santa Monica to which the homeless could be directed for
services.
Prepared by: Vivian Rothstein
Assistant to the Director
Recreation and Parks Department
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lust nnstran hUl'Ch
609 AR,ZONA AVENUE:
SA:"..!'!"'A ....O:'-.PCA CAL.FOF......A 90~Ol
1213' 3336767
DISCIPLES OF CH"{iST
REV CHA~LE5 \V E!...S......J'ICK PAS rc~
~ovcmber 25, 1985
Counol :'lember Dav1d Epsteln ' ,
Santa I>lonica City Counnl
2800 ~ellson Way Apt. #1607
Santa Monlca, Ca. 90405
Dear Davld,
As per recent phone conversat10n, thlS 1S to fo~ally request that the
Councll reconstltute the Clt1zens Work1ng Group on the Homeless. ThlS was
the consensus of the group and Clty staff whlch met together informally
the last of October.
We are pleased that the Councll has taken actlon on a number of our
recomnendatlons, and I understand will soon review again. It 15 our bellef
that a reconstltuted offlclal citlzens group on the homeless CQuld help
the {ouncll move ahead wlth furthur lmplernent3tlon of these and perhaps
other needed reco~~endatlons.
Several of us have vis1ted the SeDlar Center 1n Pallsades park and share
your concern for a crackdown on cr1me ln the area, and other needed
remed1es to ma~e thlS and other publlC places safer and more useable for
all of our citizens. The need for one or more outreach teams to do preventa-
tlve work wlth the homeless 1n the parks, in and around the llbrary, etc.,
lS a presslng need.
A n~ County Shelter for women and chlldren 1n Venice 15 helpful, as is
the proffilse of some add1tlonal resources for the homeless mentally ill. There
1S stlll, however, the pres51ng need for addltional lobbying at federal,
state, and county levels to deal wlth the problem. "Homelessness lS a growlng
problem in the region lvith no SlgnS of abatlng," according to a recent report
of the S. CallfoTTIla ASSOClation of Governments. Additional day centers through-
out Los ,\ngeles County are desperately needed. The 60 Day Penalty and low
General Rellef GRants contlnue to pour some 3,000 people a month onto the
streets, many of whom end up ln Santa Monlca and the Westslde. Large numbers
of mentally 111 homeless contlnue to wander the streets of our cities. There
lS a gross lack of lOW-lncorne houslng.
~long wlth those of you on the Councll responsible for publlC pollcles,
c1tizen serVlces and law enforcement, many of us who have worked with the
homeless know the Soultlons are not simpllstlC. On gOlng community educatlon
ratlooal dIalogue, and non-part1san cooperatlon are essential. We stand ready
to work wlth you, and request reconstitutlon of the Workin~'Group on the
Homeless.
Slncerely> J
. ~"
P('~ \; (! '.
~"-..J-~un-- "'----" -"' ~'<-/
~ .
Rev. Charles f~ ElSWICk '_:
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